This Notice communicates the NIDA’s evolving human genetics
funding priorities to help the addiction genetics community maximally align
their research with NIDA’s current strategic vision.

Multiple genes with relatively small effects, along with
environmental and developmental factors, are likely to influence vulnerability
to addiction. The design and genetic approach chosen for studying addiction
phenotypes will determine the types of genetic variants that can be identified,
the genetic associations that each one yields, and its relevance to the
addiction phenotype. NIDA remains committed to a research program on the human
genetics of substance abuse, and will continue to support human genetics
research from discovery to application.

However, given the current budgetary climate and the
increasing need to prioritize areas of research support, NIDA is taking the
following steps:

Identify
and/or characterize the mechanistic roles and/or clinical application of
genetic variants that have previously been demonstrated to contribute to
addiction

Propose
targeted, whole-genome or -exome sequencing approaches. Note that applications
proposing genome wide association studies (GWAS) may be given lower priority, and
the applicant should indicate the rationale for why another approach was not
chosen. For candidate gene approaches, the allele(s) under study should
include supporting evidence, e.g. a direct functional effect on the biological
pathway(s), or strong prior evidence that it is associated with the drug abuse
phenotype

Use
bioinformatics and computational approaches that will leverage and integrate
existing datasets, such as data from dbGaP, 1000 Genomes, epigenomics, ENCODE,
imaging resources, etc., to maximize information on a targeted genetic regions,
or be used to develop novel phenotypes or biomarkers

Discuss
and/or include a replication approach

2) Ensure portfolio balance through a coordinated
programmatic assessment of the design and genetic approach chosen for human
genetics applications by the NIDA Genetics Coordinating Committee

3) Accept only a limited number of applications
requesting direct costs of $500,000 or more per year in any project year.

Taking these factors into consideration, prospective
applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their planned applications with
NIDA’s program staff during the early stages of application development to
ensure that their application addresses these priorities.